Page 88 of Split or Swallow

“It’s a question. A simple one, actually.”

He laughed again.

“Actually, it’s not simple at all. The entire point of this process is for me to find a wife I want to fuck. If you’re not willing to fuck me, then I don’t see the point of keeping you here.”

“Don’t you?” Tem said. She felt nothing but power in that moment.

“No,” Leo glanced lazily over at the hourglass. “I don’t.”

Now Tem was the one to move closer. She sidled up to him, draping her body against his in the same way she’d seen Vera do to Jonathan—in the same way any woman could do to a man. Despite Leo’s best efforts to remain indifferent, she felt his breath hitch when her hips pressed against his cock. He made it so easy.

“I don’t need to fuck you,” she said softly, her lips grazing his throat. “I don’t even need to take my clothes off. You want me so badly you’d marry me just for the chance to see me naked. Am I wrong?”

Tem didn’t know where her courage came from. She was risking everything on this—her place in the competition, her mother’s reputation, her reputation. She was banking on Leo’s predictability, assuming that what his sister had carelessly said about him in the bathroom was not only completely true, but a surefire indicator of his future behavior. It was the biggest gamble she’d ever taken, and if she was wrong, it would cost her everything.

A vein was twitching in Leo’s neck. Tem wanted to lick it.

Instead, she waited. When he finally spoke, his voice was a raw groan:

“You’re never wrong, Tem,” his eyes were hooded, the greed in them unmistakable. “I hate that about you.”

His lips were on hers before her heart could take another beat.

Leo’s hands grabbed her waist, nearly lifting her off the floor as his body curled down to intertwine with hers. She could taste every ounce of whiskey he’d consumed—along with something sweet, like honey.

They didn’t bother going slow.

His tongue was in her mouth; her chest was pressed against his. Tem matched Leo’s energy, giving him exactly what he was giving her, kissing him as hard as she wanted with no regard for consequences. It was liberating to be with him here—completely alone—where no one could see what they were doing. Tem felt irrefutably free, like she was flying over open water. She wondered if Leo felt the same.

When she ran her tongue over his gold teeth, she felt him smile.

“Do you like those?” he murmured against her lips.

“No,” she murmured back.

“Liar.”

Leo bit her bottom lip, pulling it toward him—not enough to cause her pain—just enough to make her want to bite him back. So she did.

The next thing Tem knew, her spine was slammed against the door. Leo’s hands, which until now had been wrapped around her waist, were hiking her dress up to her hips. His cock was hard between her legs, the fabric of his trousers the only barrier between them. Tem imagined for a moment what it would be like to rip that last barrier away. She knew it was exactly what Leo wanted. But she also knew he had just seen Vera—and seven other girls—naked. He’d gotten enough of what he wanted tonight. Tem wasn’t about to give him any more.

She gave him a sharp shove backward, breaking them apart.

“I’m still not taking my clothes off for you,” she said.

Leo leaned in so his arms formed a cage around her head.

“You assume I wouldn’t fuck you with your clothes on.”

Tem rolled her eyes.

“Don’t push it. You should be happy I let you kiss me.”

He raised his hands in mock surrender.

“I am,” he lowered them slowly, and the smirk faded. “I am very happy.”

There was a pause, and Tem wondered if she was happy too.